Driven axle differential particularly for commercial vehicles

Abstract

In a driven axle for commercial vehicles, equipped with a differential and two reducing gears, the two reducing gears are directly integrated in the differential and the differential comprises a single stage planetary transmission provided with two sets of differential gears. What this accomplishes is that the axle is of small size and only little space is required for its accommodation. In addition, the power losses are reduced, and a succeeding aggregate can be driven in a simple manner.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A drive axle for vehicle, comprising a differential housing, a vehicle having wheel axles rotatably supported at respective opposite ends of said housing, a drive shaft rotatably supported in said housing at substantially right angles to said axles, a sun shaft extending substantially coinsident to said wheel axles in said housing and having a sun gear affixed to each end for rotation therewith, a driven planetary gear set engaging each sung ear and having a web portion extending to each side of said sun gear and being connected at opposite sides of respective ones of said axles, a hollow gear in meshing engagement with each planetary gear of each respective sun gear, a differential gear rotatably mounted in said housing substantially perpendicular to the axis of said sun gear and in meshing enagement with and supporting said planetary gears, and bevel gear means between said drive shaft and said sun gear shaft driving said sun gear shaft from said drive shaft. 
     
     
       2. A drive axle according to claim 1, wherein said drive shaft is rotatably supported on only one end of said housing and includes a bevel gear affixed thereto, said sun gear shaft having a bevel gear in driving engagement with the bevel gear of said drive shaft and comprising said bevel gear means. 
     
     
       3. A drive axle according to claim 1, wherein said drive shaft is journalled in each end of said housing and extends through said housing. 
     
     
       4. A drive axle according to claim 3, wherein said bevel gear means includes a bevel gear affixed at spaced locations to said drive shaft, said sun gear shaft having two portions one extending on each side of said drive shaft and each having a bevel gear in meshing engagement with a bevel gear on said drive shaft. 
     
     
       5. A drive axle according to claim 1, wherein said hollow gear includes a hollow central portion, said bevel gear means including a bevel gear on said sun gear shaft arranged within said hollow central portion. 
     
     
       6. A driven axle for commercial vehicles, comprising a differential housing containing a differential and two reducing gears integrated in the differential, the differential having a single stage planetary transmission provided with two sets of gears including integrated reducing gears, the sets comprising driven planetary gears for driving a corresponding vehicle wheel axle and drivable sun gears disposed on a sun gear shaft having an axis coincident to the vehicle wheel axles, the planetary gears being engaged in the corresponding sun gears and having a web interconnected on both sides of the planetary gears, a hollow gear meshing with the planetary gears of each set, and a pair of differential gears rotatably mounted in the housing perpendicular to the axis of the sun gears and supporting the planetary gears. 
     
     
       7. Axle of claim 6 wherein the webs of the planetary gears are connected to the axles of the vehicle wheels. 
     
     
       8. Axle of claim 6 wherein the differential gears are rotatably mounted on a drive shaft in the housing, and rotatably support and engage respective hollow gears. 
     
     
       9. Axle of claim 8 including a hollow gear rotatably mounted on the sun gear shaft and in meshing engagement between the differential gears and the planetary gears of a said set. 
     
     
       10. Axle of claim 9 wherein the hollow gears are rotatably mounted within the housing on respective sun gear shaft portions. 
     
     
       11. Axle of claim10 wherein the drive shaft extends completely through the housing and has at least one bevel gear thereon driving the sun gear shaft.